Former Manchester United number one Tim Howard has said that the club didn’t do themselves proud with their treatment of former manager David Moyes.

The 51-year-old Scot took over the Red Devils after Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in the summer of 2013 and experienced a difficult time in the shadow of the Old Trafford great.

A failure to improve the squad at the start of Moyes’s tenure resulted in the team lacking quality in a number of positions and a dent in confidence prompted poor performances in both the league and cups.

This season, in contrast, United have fared much better after a summer outlay of more than £150 million, begging the question as to why United didn’t back Moyes with similar funds the previous summer.

Current Everton shot-stopper Howard believes that United let his former boss down and criticised the decision to sack him without offering him the chance to rebuild what was well regarded as a broken squad.

“There was always going to be a fall guy — that team wasn’t good enough and that had nothing to do with David Moyes. They say it did — but they were weak, simple as that.

“I think they were a weak team and they needed to rebuild. That team had a top goalscorer who was lights out. The season they won the title, it ebbs and flows. It wasn’t as strong a title challenge that year.

“Of course they were champions. You have to give that to them. But every champion goes out and strengthens. Everyone. Bayern Munich does, Chelsea does, City does.

Tom Thorogood

I'm a 27 year old language teacher and writer based out in Mexico with a passion for football and swimming. I like to focus on the top European Leagues, especially La Liga, as well as the footballing development in Central and South America. My favourite teams include Derby County, Barcelona and Jagaures de Chiapas.